Pursuing Truth in the Messiah

I am going to take a minute to tell you about something that Garrett and I found a few weeks ago.  We have been searching the Scriptures largely on our own, with only a once-a-week sermon as a regular lesson.  And that's not bad, except that I didn't feel like we were doing a very good job of our private study.  Garrett and I have 2 different study styles, and we tried each other's patience a bit. You see, Garrett is a feast and famine studier.  He finds something he wants to know, and it becomes top priority.  He doesn't need to eat or sleep or anything (perhaps I exaggerate a bit, but you get my meaning) during this time.  He goes deep into his research.  And then he doesn't need to research anything more until a new question presents itself in his brain. I like small regular meals of study.  I want to read something and then walk away and have time to let it roll around in my thoughts before I return to it.  But I need a regular s...

     Guess what!  God ordered certain Feasts for His people to follow.  You can find instructions for them in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.  And then you can find multiple instances of God's people following His feasts -- including stories of Yeshua following them -- throughout the Bible.      I will save the full discussion of whether or not Gentile believers in Yeshua are expected to follow the Feasts for another day.  It is an interesting search and one that deserves to be explored.       The short version of the discussion is that believers in the Messiah are put into "right standing" with God through the blood of the Messiah -- not through the following of the Laws given to Moses (or Moshe, if you prefer the transliteration of his Hebrew name).  If you are returning to those things as your way to righteousness, you are missing the greatness of what the Messiah did for you.  But we also know ...

     The discussion of whether to use Hebrew or English has been an interesting one.  I will say up front now that I don't have all the answers, and I don't want you to treat me like a "final word" on anything here today.  This post is comprised of my thoughts and not a prophetic utterance.      The fact stands that most English-speaking Americans refer to God's Son as "Jesus" and "Christ."  But He was not called those English names when he walked the earth.  He was called "Yeshua" (or "Yehoshua") and "Messiah."      Do you always have to refer to someone in their native language?  No.  As my little sister pointed out, some languages don't even have similar sounds.  The people there wouldn't even know how to reproduce your name on their lips.  Even my name, as simple as it is, sounds different when spoke by a Spanish-speaking person or a French-speaking person.  And I'm okay with that. ...

My awesome husband, Garrett      Getting married and moving away from  my friends and family has afforded me a special opportunity -- the chance to re-evaluate my walk with God without the comforts of following the people who are familiar to me.      It's been a little scary at times.      It's been super fun at times.      But it has been good.  My husband and I are taking the opportunity to search the Scriptures and ask ourselves WHY we do or don't do something.  This year has been especially good, as Garrett has taken the lead on most of this.      Our guiding rule is to find out what God has for us, regardless of what we wanted for ourselves, and to find out the truth of His Word, regardless of what we expected it to say.       And I believe that God will lead us to what is Right.  It's been kinda funny a few times because Garrett and I read the same verse and ca...